Rimington named Interim AD

[Vitalis Jackson]

I wonder if grabbing him from the outside, rather than one of the many people already on staff is to just send a not-so-subtle message that things ARE going to change and that Greene / Bounds see the whole organization as being under scrutiny.  Who knows.  I just like DR, so I stopped at that.  Now you've got me wondering!  

He was hired because he used to play at NU. Period. You'd be amazed at how many on this board think that's the single qualifier.

 

[JJ Husker]

He was hired because he used to play at NU. Period. You'd be amazed at how many on this board think that's the single qualifier.

He may have been identified for the position because he used to play here but I bet he knows a thing or two about how to do the job also. Unless they're letting just any ex football player run the Boomer Esiason Foundation these days.

He was brought in as a calming, familiar, loyal face that can do the proper PR work, unruffle some booster's feathers, make sound recommendations and provide temporary leadership . It's not real difficult to figure out.

People shouldn't get distracted by comments of fixing the walk-on program etc. Those are sound bites to calm the faithful. That is why Rimington was brought in, to rebuild some bridges that Eichorst let decay. He's not here to implement any grand plan in only 60 days. Makes perfect sense to me, not sure why some insist to read more into it.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

He may have been identified for the position because he used to play here but I bet he knows a thing or two about how to do the job also. Unless they're letting just any ex football player run the Boomer Esiason Foundation these days.

He was brought in as a calming, familiar, loyal face that can do the proper PR work, unruffle some booster's feathers, make sound recommendations and provide temporary leadership . It's not real difficult to figure out.

People shouldn't get distracted by comments of fixing the walk-on program etc. Those are sound bites to calm the faithful. That is why Rimington was brought in, to rebuild some bridges that Eichorst let decay. He's not here to implement any grand plan in only 60 days. Makes perfect sense to me, not sure why some insist to read more into it.

Well said, ED. Rimington will be a friendly and familiar face to a lot of people in Husker Nation, and he's also a pretty damn smart guy who knows how to run a multi-million dollar business. Of course he won't be making wholesale changes in 60 days,

but that's not what he's being asked to do. If people would just take things for what they are and stop trying to look for false flags, things would be so much easier in life. 

 

[Hayseed]

I think boosters are calling in and shouting things like "This sucks! This is a joke! I'm not paying for this! I've decided to support other causes!" 

So they brought in Rimington to reassure the red clad faithful that their concerns have been heard.

 

[Enhance]

Fair warning - this is somewhat morbid. But, I've been thinking what the future will hold from a booster perspective if Nebraska continues to struggle in mediocrity purgatory.

Most of the big name boosters will be dead 20-30 years from now and most of their kids (people in my generation) will be in their 60s or 70s. Now, if you're on the older side of my generation, you remember the 90s, the titles, the fanaticism of it all, the emotions it developed between family/friends and just what it meant to be a Husker fan. But, if you're on the younger side of my generation, you were probably a baby the last time they won a title.

I'm inclined to believe the older part of my generation (who are well off) would continue to help funding the program, but people on the younger side of it never experienced the pinnacle of Husker fandom. To them, it's a bed time story or a dream. There isn't a lot that's tangible and meaningful to them.

I guess my roundabout point is that we, as a program and fan base, should probably do what we can now to try and build for future success. Call in as many favors and dollars as you can before it's ultimately left in the hands of a younger generation who, through no fault of their own, don't care as much.

 

[dvdcrr]

Well said, ED. Rimington will be a friendly and familiar face to a lot of people in Husker Nation, and he's also a pretty damn smart guy who knows how to run a multi-million dollar business. Of course he won't be making wholesale changes in 60 days,

but that's not what he's being asked to do. If people would just take things for what they are and stop trying to look for false flags, things would be so much easier in life. 

But how can he be so smart and capable?  He played tackle football in a vicious, savage time before the NCAA cared about targeting!  Dare I say he likely even played tackle football as a child.  His CTE must be so bad by now that he has relatives who tie his shoes, and feed him carrots through a straw!

 

[BigRedBuster]

It still baffles me that people are questioning this move.

A)  Rimington is familiar with Nebraska and is a name that fans and boosters are going to recognize and respect.

B)  He is used to managing an organization that handles large amounts of money from donors.

C)  He is someone who does very well at raising money FROM donors.  

Now....let's think about what is going to happen within the athletic department one the next 2-4 months.

The department is going to need to have a great relationship with it's biggest donors so that they feel comfortable forking out a very very large amount of money to hire both an AD and (possibly) a new football head coach.  ALSO....a new basketball head coach might be needed in the spring which will require yet more large donations.

To me, there is nothing confusing about this move.

 

[Xmas32]

It still baffles me that people are questioning this move.

A)  Rimington is familiar with Nebraska and is a name that fans and boosters are going to recognize and respect.

B)  He is used to managing an organization that handles large amounts of money from donors.

C)  He is someone who does very well at raising money FROM donors.  

Now....let's think about what is going to happen within the athletic department one the next 2-4 months.

The department is going to need to have a great relationship with it's biggest donors so that they feel comfortable forking out a very very large amount of money to hire both an AD and (possibly) a new football head coach.  ALSO....a new basketball head coach might be needed in the spring which will require yet more large donations.

To me, there is nothing confusing about this move.

I agree with all your points here.  The only thing that I'm not as sure on is the 'need' of boosters to fund as much with the frankly ridiculous amount of money Nebraska will be taking in from the Big Ten for the time being.  Sure, you still ask the boosters to fund it because good business sense dictates you never try to use your own money when funding a deal especially when you keep control for the most part.  That being said, Nebraska doesn't 'need' the boosters as much when it comes to athletics as maybe they did before the influx of TV dollars.  

 

[HuskerNBigD]

I agree with all your points here.  The only thing that I'm not as sure on is the 'need' of boosters to fund as much with the frankly ridiculous amount of money Nebraska will be taking in from the Big Ten for the time being.  Sure, you still ask the boosters to fund it because good business sense dictates you never try to use your own money when funding a deal especially when you keep control for the most part.  That being said, Nebraska doesn't 'need' the boosters as much when it comes to athletics as maybe they did before the influx of TV dollars.  

Looking to the future, the TV money won’t be the same. I think the deal the B1G just completed will be the peak, as far as how lucrative it was. Cord cutting is hitting the cable companies hard. Look at Disney’s struggle, no way execs at the networks will agree to the $2.4B deal by the mid 2020s. You’ll need booster money then. 

 

[soup]

It still baffles me that people are questioning this move.

A)  Rimington is familiar with Nebraska and is a name that fans and boosters are going to recognize and respect.

B)  He is used to managing an organization that handles large amounts of money from donors.

C)  He is someone who does very well at raising money FROM donors.  

Now....let's think about what is going to happen within the athletic department one the next 2-4 months.

The department is going to need to have a great relationship with it's biggest donors so that they feel comfortable forking out a very very large amount of money to hire both an AD and (possibly) a new football head coach.  ALSO....a new basketball head coach might be needed in the spring which will require yet more large donations.

To me, there is nothing confusing about this move.

For me, it boils down to the why everything has to be "The Nebraska Way" or else.  If it smells like a fish, looks like a fish, and swims like a fish.  It certainly isn't a dog, now is it?

Now, if and that is a big IF.  There is a true national search conducted, and the most qualified individual is hired as the AD then I will gladly eat crow.  But if the perceived main qualification for AD is the "Nebraska ties" then the program is not going to grow. Because there are no qualified candidates out there that have Nebraska ties.  (Trev Alberts = Steve Pederson with less experience)

 

[JJ Husker]

For me, it boils down to the why everything has to be "The Nebraska Way" or else.  If it smells like a fish, looks like a fish, and swims like a fish.  It certainly isn't a dog, now is it?

Now, if and that is a big IF.  There is a true national search conducted, and the most qualified individual is hired as the AD then I will gladly eat crow.  But if the perceived main qualification for AD is the "Nebraska ties" then the program is not going to grow. Because there are no qualified candidates out there that have Nebraska ties.  (Trev Alberts = Steve Pederson with less experience)

Yeah, well, you may be right but the non-Nebraska way hasn't worked in 20 years. My preference would be to try some things that way again. It seems to be working fairly well for Wisconsin. I'm not convinced this temp AD thing signals that but if it's a step in that direction, I'm all for it. They can take all this west coast, pro style, finesse BS and shove it where the sun don't shine. We need to get back to controlling the LOS. If Rimington represents that basic philosophy, which he does to the booster's and long time fans, then I sure don't have a problem with him being in that AD seat and making some observations and suggestions. 

 

[soup]

Yeah, well, you may be right but the non-Nebraska way hasn't worked in 20 years. My preference would be to try some things that way again. It seems to be working fairly well for Wisconsin. I'm not convinced this temp AD thing signals that but if it's a step in that direction, I'm all for it. They can take all this west coast, pro style, finesse BS and shove it where the sun don't shine. We need to get back to controlling the LOS. If Rimington represents that basic philosophy, which he does to the booster's all long time fans, then I sure don't have all problem with him being in that AD seat and making some observations and suggestions. 

I could also make the argument that the Nebraska way hasn't worked in 20 years either.  :shrug:

So why not go out and make a true best candidate hire for AD and if required coach.  We haven't had a real search for either.....well ever.

The last true coaching search was Devaney?

The last true AD search.....  Maybe Byrne, but I believe he was here under Devaney.

 

[BigRedBuster]

During this 20 years we have gone through periods where everyone thought we were trying the "Nebraska way" and that turned out bad.

Honestly, I don't give a rip where the person who is hired went to college.  I want them to be extremely qualified for the job.

I've said it before.  It's not a good omen for the future of the program if the ONLY way we are successful is if we have people running it from the "glory days".

 

[timmytbro]

It seems like people are overlooking an imperative point here. Nebraska has an identity, and since 2004, that identity has been intentionally swept under a rug. Wisconsin has taken that identity of smash mouth football and has just been cruising to rose bowls. Nebraska needs to return to a run first oriented offense, We cannot on a consistent basis get 5 star recruits, nut we can become experts at a niche, much like we used to. Having people who were a part of the glory days would most likely have a better understanding of this then an outsider would. GBR

 

[Xmas32]

Looking to the future, the TV money won’t be the same. I think the deal the B1G just completed will be the peak, as far as how lucrative it was. Cord cutting is hitting the cable companies hard. Look at Disney’s struggle, no way execs at the networks will agree to the $2.4B deal by the mid 2020s. You’ll need booster money then. 

Yeah, I was thinking that too but didn't want to look like a flip flopper in my statement haha.  Definitely a fine line to walk.